San Francisco VA Health Care System
Overview
San Francisco VA Health Care System is a substance abuse treatment center for people seeking treatment near San Francisco County. As part of their treatment modalities for recovery, San Francisco VA Health Care System provides group counseling during treatment. San Francisco VA Health Care System is located in San Francisco, California, accepting medicaid for treatment.
San Francisco VA Health Care System at a Glance
Payment Options
- Medicaid
- Private health insurance
- Medicare
- Federal military insurance (e.g., TRICARE)
- No payment accepted
Assessments
- Comprehensive mental health assessment
- Comprehensive substance use assessment
Age Groups
- Adults
- Young adults
Operation
- State government
Accreditations
SAMHSA certification for opioid treatment program (OTP):
SAMHSA's Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) accreditation is a prestigious recognition that signifies a program's compliance with stringent standards and guidelines established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This accreditation demonstrates an OTP's commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-based care for individuals struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD). It serves as a trusted symbol of accountability and excellence, assuring patients, families, and communities that the OTP offers safe, effective, and comprehensive treatment options for OUD.
The Joint Commission:
The Joint Commission accreditation signifies that a facility has met rigorous standards of excellence in patient care, treatment, and safety. It assures individuals and healthcare professionals that the accredited facility provides high-quality, evidence-based care for addiction and mental health issues, fostering trust and confidence in their services.
Effective date: 02/26/2018
Registration: 2096
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF):
CARF accreditation is a prestigious recognition for rehabilitation and human service organizations. It signifies that an organization meets high-quality standards and is committed to providing top-level care. CARF conducts rigorous evaluations to ensure compliance, enhancing an organization's credibility and reassuring clients and funders of exceptional service quality. This accreditation promotes excellence and continual improvement in the rehabilitation and human services field.
Registration: 78469
Treatment At San Francisco VA Health Care System
Conditions Treated
Mental health treatment:
Mental health treatment provides a safe and structured environment where individuals can receive professional care and support for their mental health challenges. Within the facility, trained therapists, counselors, and medical staff work together to create personalized treatment plans tailored to each person's needs. Patients might participate in a variety of therapies, including individual counseling, group therapy, and possibly medication management. The goal is to equip individuals with the tools and strategies they need to cope with their conditions and lead fulfilling lives.
Alcoholism:
Alcohol addiction is when a person becomes physically and mentally dependent on alcohol, leading to mood swings, impulsive actions, intense cravings, and withdrawal symptoms. Treatment includes supervised detox, therapy, and support groups. It's important to note that rehabilitation doesn't "cure" alcoholism, but it helps individuals better manage their addiction, regain their ability to function in daily life, and improve their overall well-being.
Opioid Addiction:
Opioid addiction rehabilitation is a specialized treatment process tailored to address the unique challenges and complexities of opioid dependence, including drugs like heroin and prescriptions like oxycodone. The process typically begins with a medical detox to ease withdrawal symptoms, followed by therapeutic interventions to address the root causes of addiction. This holistic approach aims to provide individuals with the skills and support needed for long-term recovery from opioid use.
Substance use treatment:
Substance use rehabilitation is a structured program aimed at assisting individuals in overcoming their dependencies on drugs or alcohol. Through a combination of medical detoxification, counseling, and various therapeutic approaches, these programs strive to address the physical and psychological aspects of addiction. The goal is to equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and support necessary to attain lasting sobriety, while also working to identify and address the underlying issues contributing to substance misuse. By fostering a supportive environment, substance use rehabilitation centers provide a pathway towards a healthier, substance-free life.
Co-occurring Disorders:
Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation centers specialize in the treatment of individuals who suffer from a co-occurring mental health disorder and a substance use disorder. This complex interplay between addiction and mental health can make recovery more challenging, as each condition may exacerbate the symptoms of the other. Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation centers offer an integrated approach that addresses both issues simultaneously and often includes a comprehensive assessment for an Integrated Treatment Approach through Holistic Therapies, including family therapy and aftercare treatment.
Levels Of Care
Partial Hospitalization Program:
A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is an intensive rehabilitation option, typically designed for individuals with acute symptoms that are challenging to handle but don't necessitate round-the-clock care. PHPs provide structured therapeutic activities, which can include individual and group sessions, and generally operate 3-5 days a week, from approximately 9 am to 3 pm. While some PHPs are residential, allowing patients to stay overnight, others are non-residential, enabling patients to return home each evening. The duration of a PHP can range from 1 to 6 months, and some programs also offer transportation and meals to participants.
Intensive outpatient treatment:
Intensive Outpatient (IOP) is a form of structured therapy designed to support individuals in recovery from addiction, mental health disorders, or other medical conditions. Unlike inpatient or residential treatment, where patients live at the facility, IOP allows individuals to receive high-level care while still living at home and maintaining specific day-to-day responsibilities. Typically, patients in IOP programs attend sessions multiple times per week, often totaling 9-20 hours or more. These sessions can include individual therapy, group therapy, family counseling, and educational classes focused on skills and strategies for managing symptoms and preventing relapse.
Detoxification:
Detoxification, often shortened to detox, is like giving the body a fresh start by getting rid of harmful substances like drugs or alcohol someone may have taken. When a person stops taking these substances, they might feel sick or uncomfortable as their body adjusts to the change. Detox helps ease these uncomfortable feelings while making sure the harmful substances are removed from the body in a safe way. This process helps prevent any additional harm caused by the drugs or alcohol.
Aftercare:
Finishing a drug or alcohol rehab program is just the beginning of the recovery journey. Aftercare focuses on establishing a long-term recovery plan, which encompasses continuous support. This might involve options such as residing in sober living homes or halfway houses, receiving career guidance, and connecting the individual with community support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
Outpatient:
Outpatient programs are designed for individuals in stable medical condition with a low risk of relapse, often those who've completed inpatient treatment. These programs extend the foundation of prior treatment approaches, offering continuous addiction guidance and resources for sustained recovery. For those transitioning straight from detox, medical and psychological assessments are typically conducted, leading to the development of individualized treatment strategies. The majority of outpatient rehab centers provide diverse care levels, customized to each client's unique requirements.
Hospital inpatient treatment:
Residential treatment programs provide housing, meals, and substance abuse treatment, offering patients an environment dedicated entirely to their recovery, distinct from their everyday life. While some rehab facilities concentrate on short-term stays lasting a few days to a couple of weeks, others emphasize long-term care spanning several weeks to months. Many centers offer both, customizing the treatment based on each patient's unique needs.
Treatment Modalities
Group counseling:
Group therapy entails therapeutic sessions conducted in a collective setting rather than one-on-one. It encompasses various modalities, from support groups and experiential therapy to psycho-education and beyond. The approach focuses on treatment and emphasizes the dynamic interactions and shared experiences among group members.
Trauma-related counseling:
Trauma therapy delves into past traumatic events that might be influencing a client's current life experiences. Often, trauma serves as a significant precipitant or underlying cause of addiction. Such traumas can arise from childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, growing up with a mentally ill parent, early parental loss, and experiences of sexual assault in teen or adult years, among other circumstances. Trauma therapy aims to aid the individual in processing and navigating beyond these traumas, guided by the expertise and empathy of skilled mental health specialists.
Individual psychotherapy:
In individual therapy, a person engages in a one-on-one session with a qualified therapist or counselor. This therapeutic approach is crucial in successful substance abuse treatment because it delves into the underlying causes of addiction, addressing issues the individual may encounter in their familial, social, and professional or academic environments.
Family counseling:
Family Counseling is a therapeutic approach that seeks to address and improve communication, understanding, and dynamics within a family unit. By addressing conflicts, emotional distress, and behavioral challenges, a trained therapist provides guidance and tools for family members to strengthen bonds, resolve issues, and foster a healthier family environment.
Marital/couples counseling:
Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.
Life Skills:
Life skills training equips individuals with essential competencies, such as time management, career planning, financial literacy, and effective communication, to navigate the challenges of daily life. These skills are foundational to achieving not just sobriety but a thriving, fulfilling life post-addiction. Such training lays the groundwork for sustainable success and long-term recovery.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely practiced form of psychotherapy that seeks to address dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and thoughts through a goal-oriented, systematic process. It encourages individuals to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behavior by promoting self-awareness and effective coping strategies. CBT is often used to treat a range of disorders including anxiety, depression, and stress, making it a versatile and practical therapeutic approach. Through enhancing an individual's capacity to manage life's challenges, CBT contributes to improved mental well-being and overall quality of life.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy that blends cognitive-behavioral approaches with mindfulness strategies. It is particularly effective in treating addiction, as it addresses the underlying emotional pain and destructive behaviors that often accompany substance misuse. Through enhancing emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness, DBT equips individuals with the coping skills necessary to maintain sobriety and improve their overall quality of life.
Electroconvulsive Therapy:
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical intervention primarily employed for patients with severe major depression or treatment-resistant bipolar disorder. During ECT, a brief electrical stimulation is applied to the brain while the patient is under anesthesia. This treatment is administered by a specialized medical team, typically consisting of a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist, and a nurse or physician assistant.
Nicotine replacement:
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) provides nicotine to the system without the need for smoking. It utilizes products that deliver minimal doses of nicotine, assisting individuals in their quest to quit smoking. The therapy aims to reduce nicotine cravings and mitigate withdrawal symptoms.
Experiential Therapy:
Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.
Recreational Therapy:
Recreational Therapy in the realm of behavioral health involves using leisure and recreational activities to address and improve individuals’ psychological, emotional, and physical well-being. The tailored activities, which may include arts and crafts, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music, and community outings, help individuals reduce stress, improve mood, enhance social skills, and cultivate a positive sense of self. Through participation and engagement, Recreational Therapy supports individuals in overcoming behavioral health challenges, thus contributing to their overall quality of life and assisting them in reintegrating into their communities or leading more fulfilling lives.
Nutrition Therapy:
Nutrition therapy is a tailored dietary approach to managing and preventing certain medical conditions. Administered by registered dietitians or nutrition professionals, it involves the assessment of an individual's nutritional status and the development of personalized nutrition strategies to optimize health and manage specific health concerns.
Fitness Therapy:
Fitness Therapy blends exercise with psychotherapy for a fun, inspiring, and effective way of treating addiction and other issues. By incorporating movement into counseling sessions, clients become more empowered, motivated, and goal-oriented, all while strengthening their bodies and becoming more flexible. Fitness Therapy is usually used to complement a course of treatment (inpatient or outpatient) to make it even more successful. Increasing the connection between a patient’s mind and body helps both with healing as well as in creating new, healthy habits.
Animal Therapy:
Animal Therapy, often referred to as Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), is an integrative therapeutic approach wherein trained animals partner with healthcare professionals to assist patients in meeting their therapeutic goals. Leveraged in behavioral health settings, AAT harnesses the unique human-animal bond to facilitate emotional, cognitive, and social improvements. Animals have demonstrated an innate capacity to reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and enhance interpersonal skills, making them invaluable companions in addressing various psychological and emotional disorders.
Holistic Treatment:
Holistic Treatment refers to an integrative approach to addiction recovery and rehabilitation that addresses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of an individual's well-being. Beyond just focusing on the addiction itself, this approach emphasizes whole-person healing and often incorporates alternative therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and nutritional counseling. By treating the entire person and not just the symptoms of addiction, holistic treatment aims to ensure a more balanced and sustainable recovery.
Ancillary Services
Languages
- Sign language services for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Spanish
Special Programs
- Clients with HIV or AIDS
- Pregnant/postpartum women
- Active duty military
- Clients who have experienced trauma
- Persons with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Contact Information
DISCLAIMER: The facility name, logo and brand are the property and registered trademarks of San Francisco VA Health Care System, and are being used for identification and informational purposes only. Use of these names, logos and brands shall not imply endorsement. BetterAddictionCare.com is not affiliated with or sponsored by San Francisco VA Health Care System.
